CAPONATA

 

The name Caponata immediately recalls Sicily, its colors and its tastes. However, it has become a popular dish all over Italy. This is a rich recipe, with savory ingredients and a very good way to emphasize the flavor of the fresh season vegetables that are so abundant in our country.

 

cutleryINGREDIENTS

 

800 gr. eggplants

5 tomatoes (blenched, peeled, seeded and chopped)

500 gr. sticks of celery

2 onions

½ glass wine vinegar

200 gr. pitted black olives

100 gr. rinsed salted capers

40 gr. sugar

2 tbsp. pine nuts

Fresh basil

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

 

Wash the eggplants and dice them. Put them in a colander, sprinkle with salt and put a weight on. After 1 hour, rinse away the salt and dry the pieces. Slice the celery and boil in salted water for a few minutes. Then drain and dry with paper and sauté in olive oil over low heat.

In a different pan, sauté the sliced onions in olive oil and when softened add the capers, pine nuts and pitted olives. Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the diced tomatoes and cook for 20 more minutes over vivacious heat.

Fry the eggplants in olive oil and, when they’re golden, add the celery, the tomato sauce and stir well over low heat. Sprinkle with sugar and vinegar and let simmer. Let cool down and then serve the caponata with fresh basil.